Friday, November 1, 2024

How Kisii farmers are reaping big from farming, exporting avocado

How Kisii farmers are reaping big from farming, exporting avocado

Avocado farming has recently gained popularity as more farmers have realized the lucrative opportunities in the venture.

Jeremiah Mbaka a Kisii County-based farmer, is among the farmers who have hugely benefitted from avocado farming.

Mbaka stepped into the venture in 2016 after resigning from his sales representative job at Sameer Africa Nairobi, where he had worked for five years.

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While at Sameer, he would witness the high tonnage of avocados being exported out of the country through the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

This inspired him to try his hand at the venture, and full of zeal, he left Nairobi for avocado farming at his village home in Magenche area in Bomachoge Borabu, Kisii County.

Mbaka started off with 300 avocado trees, which matured in two years. From the avocado, he has been earning about Sh500,000 annually.

He grows the Hass variety, which has recently become the most popular avocados around the world. May buyers in the global market prefer the Hass variety owing to its higher fat content, which gives it a smoother, creamier texture.

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Hass avocado trees are also said to have high yields compared to other varieties. In addition, they have the longest harvesting seasons, with the fruit able to withstand long-distance shipping much easier than other varieties.

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Hass avocado farmers earn two times more than farmers growing other avocado varieties. The good returns are attracting more farmers in Kenya into the business.

The Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) says that avocado exports in 2019 were worth Sh10 billion, of which 70 percent were Hass avocados. Avocado exporters in Kenya buy Hass avocado at Sh10-Sh17 per fruit compared to Sh3 for Fuerte.

The fruit can be intercropped with other crops like vegetables. Mbaka has intercropped his avocado trees with vegetables, onions, and sweet potatoes.

“The vegetables I have planted in the farm serve as food to the chickens I am rearing, which in return will provide manure to be used in the farm since I was informed that most of our customers in Europe prefer crops planted with organic manure,” said Mbaka.

Moses Nyang’au, who also has 300 trees of avocado, says has been making over Sh400,000 annually from the venture.

He sells one avocado weighing between 200 grams and 300 grams at Sh15 to buyers in Nairobi who export them to European countries.

“I have been able to buy a lorry and a Toyota Probox, built an eight-room house, and bought four grade cattle courtesy of the Hass avocado farming. I have no regrets whatsoever for engaging in farming full-time,” said Nyang’au.

He uses organic manure made from ash and cow dung as manure and also to keep the avocado trees safe from infections.

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